Ever read a book, and then thought of something totally different. It could be what you ate last night or the conversations you have to have with your spouse, or that job you must complete.
You’re reading the words in the book physically with your eyes, but it’s almost like your mind goes somewhere else entirely.
If someone were to come into your room, and look at you, they’d see that your eyes are scanning the pages of the book but not your thoughts.
While the text was in front, a photo of last night’s meal or the task to be completed was directly in front.
You had to re-read each paragraph multiple times. Trust me; I’ve been there.
This is how it happens. It’s because we think in pictures. Humans think practically in pictures. If I were to ask you to think of your kitchen – your entire kitchen would pop up on the screen of your mind as if you were actually there.
It is a wonderful mental factuality. However, we often allow this to affect us unconsciously in negative ways. As we climb the ladder to success in our lives – many of us allow our minds to focus on the worst possible outcome in our businesses, health, and goals.
When preparing to speak, we can forget our words. We worry about our customers as business owners. As professionals, we feel the feelings of the infamous imposter syndrome – fearing our coworkers or boss will somehow find out you’re somehow a “fraud.”
Positive outcomes must be envisioned for goals, challenges, and dreams if our thoughts will lead us to our destiny.
As Bob Proctor would say, “We think in pictures. Therefore, whatever you visualize, you attract.”
From a scientific perspective, we know that our thoughts directly influence our nervous system and the behaviors and actions we don’t and do take in life. The reason is that when we think we set up the neural pathway the brain will follow when it happens.
Your brain, or in other words, it is your supercomputer. It will run the programs you create with your thoughts and mental imagery.
If you imagine the worst outcome possible for your goals, then your behavior will reflect what you think about them.
Here’s a perfect example. Let’s say you have an upcoming speaking engagement and continue to worry or visualize yourself forgetting your words. Unconsciously, this is when you install software into your mental frame that makes your speaking and behavior less confident. This will increase your likelihood of forgetting your words during the event.
Visualization is key to achieving the outcomes and goals we desire in our lives. Every self-help speaker and author has emphasized the importance of visualization.
You can use your superpower of visualization to accelerate your life. It’s just like daydreaming but consciously imagining the best sort of outcome to happen.
This concept isn’t new either. Visualization has been a key ingredient in the success of athletes, performers, and artists for years. To achieve extraordinary success, Oprah and Will Smith (23-time Gold Medalist), Michael Phelps (23) and Walt Disney (43) used visualizations or mental imagery.
Michael Jordan is quoted as saying, “every time I feel tired while exercising and training, I close my eyes to see that picture, to see that list with my name. This usually motivates me to work again.”
Let’s dissect this. Jordan visualized the picture of his success. This was in this example, Jordan saw his name appear on the list that let him know he had made it to his high school basketball team. After seeing his image clearly in his mind’s eye, this undoubtedly installed the mental framework or mindset that yielded him the behaviors that were conducive to his desired outcome. This helped him finally achieve his goals.
What you imagine in your mind will be reflected in how your actions are. You can be good or you can be bad. It’s your choice, so you might as well visualize your desired outcomes if you want results in your life.
Here’s an activity for you:
Before you get out of bed each morning, shut your eyes. Visualize your future success. Imagine yourself receiving the award. Think of your loved ones calling you to celebrate your accomplishment. As if your goal has been achieved, feel all the emotions. This will help you become more successful at this task. Eventually, you will notice a shift in your mindset – thus yielding you the behaviors that help you achieve your desired outcomes.
How Visualization Can Create New Habits of Success originally appeared on Addicted 2 Success.
How Visualization Can Create New Habits of Success originally appeared on Addicted 2 Success.